Automatic gas-shut-off valve.



W. PROFFITT & G. H. BROOKS. AUTOMATIC GAS $HUT-OFF VALVE. APPLICATION FILED MAR,13, 1912.

Patented Ju1 30,'1912.

Illlli liiiii llllllllliiiiiillii i i i i 26 .f' Il 2 -36 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILBER PROFTFI'IT AND GILBERT H. BRooK-s; or MARS, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC GAS 'SHUI -OFF VALVE.

Specification of Letterslatent. P tentedJ 1y30, 1912.

Application filed: March 13, 1912. Serial No. 683,550.

To allwfiaom it may concern Be it known: that we, VVIL'BER PROFFITT and GILBERT Bnoons, citizens of; the United States of America, residing at Mars, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic.

Gas-Shut-Oif: Valves, of) which the following is a specification, neferencevbeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relatesto an automatic gas 1 shutoff valve, and more particularly to that class of valves designed? for insuring the safe use of stoves, burners and other structures utilizing gas, either in its natural or artificial form, as a fuel.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a diaphragm actuated valve that is positive in its action, durable, applicable to various gas pipes or hues, and highly.

A further object of this invent-ion is toi provide a valve of the above type that eliminates the asphyxiation of persons who leave stoves and burners burning during sleeping hours, the asphyxiation being caused by a reduction in the pressure of gas or a complete shut off of the same which extinguishes the flame, and then by a resumption of the gas, the same escapes and asphyxiates the persons in the compartment in which the stove or burner is located.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a valve in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the valve, and Fig. 4 is a plan of the same.

The reference numeral 1 denotes a globular valve body having connections 2, 3 and 4, and a horizontal partition 5 having a valve seat 6, said globular valve being of the ordinary and well known type. Tapped into the connection 2 is a pipe 7 having a coupling 8 for a gas inlet pipe 9, and tapped into the connection 3 is a similar pipe 10 having a coupling 11 and a gas outlet pipe. [12. These elements are also of the ordinary and well. known construction, and mounted in the connection 4. is a cap 13 having the upper end thereof screwed, as at 14:. The 13 has a vertical bore 15 for a valve stem 16,. said stem having a valve 17 adapted ;to engage the valve seat 6.

* Screwed upon the upper threaded end of the cap 13 is a sectional diaphragm casing comprising a bottom section 18 and a top section. 19,.said top section having a central opening 20 for the upper end of the valve stem 16. Between the sections. 18 and 19 lth'ere is arranged a diaphragm 21, made of iflexible metal or other material, and said j diaphragmisretained between the sections 1.8 and. 19 by rivets 22 or other fastening means connecting the peripheral edges of jsaid sections. The valve stem. 16 is connected to the diaphragm 21 by lock nuts 23 arranged upon the upper and lower sides of said diaphragm, whereby the diaphragm and said valve stem will move in unison.

The bore 15 of the cap 13 has a groove 24 establishing communication between the sectional diaphragm casing 16 and the valve body 1, whereby gas above the horizontal partition 5 can enter the diaphragm casing.

Formed integral with diametrically opposed edges of the casing section 19 are brackets 25 and 26. Arranged in the bracket 25 is a rock shaft 27 and mounted upon said rock shaft is a lever 28 and a crank 29. The lever 28 extends through a slot 30 provided therefor in the bracket 26, said lever also extending through a slotted head 31, carried by the upper end of the valve stem 16. Pivotally connected to the crank 29, as at 32 is a latch 33 that extends.

into an opening 34 provided therefor in the bracket 26. The outer side of the bracket 26 has a guide member 35 beneath the opening 34 and pivotally connected to the outer side of said bracket, as at 36 is a weighted locking member 37 having a flat edge 38 and a cam edge 39.

When the gas is to be burned, the shut off valve is set in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, that is, with the lever 28 in an elevated position, the end of the arm 33 protruding through the opening 34 and the weighted locking member 37 engaging the protruding end of the arm 33. The locking member is retained in the position shown in Fig. 2 by the flat edge 38 thereof contacting with the protruding end of the arm 33 and with the lever 28 in an elevated position, the valve 17 is raised and gas can flow through the globular valve body 5 into the outlet pipe 12. The gas also passes through the groove 24 of the cap 13 and retains the diaphragm in an elevated or extended position. When the pressure of gas passing through the globular valve body 1 is reduced or the gas completely shut oif, the diaphragm 21 assumes its normal horizontal position, thereby lowering the lever 28, which through the medium of the rock shaft 27 and the crank 29 shifts the arm 33. The arm is retracted from its pro truding position in the bracket 26, and the weighted locking member 37 is released, said member swinging through the guide and over the end of the lever 28, the cam edge 39 of said locking member engaging the upper edge of the lever. When the gas is turned on or the pressure restored, the valve 17 cannot elevate by reason of the valve stem 16 being held in a lowered position by the lever 28 and the lever 28 in a locked position by the member 27. To obtain a supply of gas it is necessary that the locking member 37 be manually shifted and set in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Should it not be desired to use the automatic feature of the valve, the locking members 37 can be completely swung to the left hand side of the bracket 26, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby allowing the lever 28 to remain normally elevated with the valve 17 open.

From the foregoing it is thought that the operation and utility of our invention will be apparent without further description, and while in the drawing there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements thereof are susceptible to such variations as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What weclaim is In an automatic gas shut off valve, the combination with a globe valve connected to a supply of gas, a diaphragm casing in communication therewith, and a diaphragm arranged within said casing and controlling the operation of said valve, of a pivoted lever carried by said diaphragm casing and movable with said diaphragm, a bracket carried by said diaphragm casing, an arm movable with said lever and extending through said bracket, and a pivoted locking member carried by said bracket and held by said arm and adapted to be released thereby to swing over said lever and lock said lever in a lowered position.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

VVILBER PROFFITT. GILBERT H. BROOKS. WVit-nesses J. P1 APPLEMAN, MAX H. SROLOVITZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

